Terry Meitzler's Grandview Speedway win surprises even himself

Terry Meitzler, a past champion, had been thinking about retiring. The Berks Products sponsored team had been struggling but with a new Higbie racer being used for the first time everything seemed to come together on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway when the Kutztown racer was able to drive the Dennis Bailey owned No. 81 to victory in the 30-lap Hatfield Quality Meats Night NASCAR 358 Modified. The victory, the first since July 19, 2008 for Meitzler, earned the team $2750 including $250 in bonus bucks from TP Trailers in Limerick.

Craig Whitmoyer of Hamburg drove his Engle Body/Huber Fabrication No. 99 to his first win of the season in the 25-lap main event for the Sportsman racers. The win for the one armed racer tightened his grip on second place in the point standings.

Danny Snyder (Green Lane) took advantage of a late race spin by leader Mike Kellner to grab the lead and ride to victory with the Rhoads Brothers Livestock Hauling No. 4 in the regular 25-lap NASCAR Late Model feature race.

The rained out 25-lapper for Late Models was won by Sam Schlosberg (Green Lane) at the wheel of his own Green Lane Auto Sales No. 70.

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In the 30-lap main event for the NASCAR 358 Modifieds Justin Grim set the early pace. A five car accident in Turn 1 on the third circuit closed up the 28 car field behind the leader putting Tim Buckwalter and Todd Smith in the thick of the battle. With four laps in the record book Buckwalter, a past ARDC Midget champion, took the lead. Buckwalter continued to be the leader until the 13th lap when a two car accident on the backstretch eliminated defending champion Duane Howard.

On the restart Don Norris Jr. charged to the front with Doug Manmiller and Terry Meitzler challenging. The final laps of the main event had Norris and his Limerick Diner No. 976 and Meitzler in a side-by-side battle for the win.

With four laps remaining Meitzler was able to put his racer in front of the field and ride to a popular with the fans victory. Second place was earned by Don Norris (Douglassville) just a few feet behind. Doug Manmiller (Shoemakerville) grabbed third followed by Modified division point leader Craig VonDohren (Oley) and nine time champion Jeff Strunk (Pottstown) still searching for his first win of the season.

In Victory Lane a very happy winner celebrated with his cigar chomping car owner Dennis Bailey and told fans that had actually been considering retiring. He did not think he was going to get a win again.

Two Late Model feature events were presented with one of the features left from the previous week when a two and one-half hour rain delay forced the postponement of a 25-lap Late Model feature.The first 25-lapper saw Mike Kellner charge to the front at the start. A couple of wild multi-car accidents saw point leader Chuck Schutz getting upside down on Drew Weisser. No one was injured but the field of racers was drastically reduced. Once things got settled and racing resumed Kellner again set the pace. The Lansdale racer set the pace until the 22nd lap when he spun in the second turn and Danny Snyder was able to squeeze between him and the boiler plate guardrail. On the restart Snyder took control of the race and held off the challenge of Steve Nederostek (Walnutport) in the closing laps to get his second win of the season. Third place went to veteran Rick Todorow (Quakertown) followed by Kory Fleming (Milford, NJ) and Bill Henning (Lansdale).

The second 25-lap Late Model feature saw Sam Schlosberg take the lead from his second place starting spot on the first lap and lead the entire 25 lap event with second place finisher Sean Merkel (Boyertown) close behind for the entire event. Third went to Mike Kellner (Lansdale) finished third followed by Rick Todorow and Jason Miller (New Tripoli). The win was Schlosbergís second of the season.

Sean Weiss took the early lead in the 25-lap Sportsman feature. Weiss spun on an early race caution restart and the lead went to Ron Krex. The lead remained in Krexís hands until just three laps remained when Craig Whitmoyer, after a battle that lasted several laps, took command and led the rest of the way. Second spot went to Krex (Harleysville) followed by Kenny Gilmore (Kutztown), Tom Miller (Barto) and point leader/defending champion Jared Umbenhauer (Richland).

Qualifying heat wins for the Late Models, eight laps each, were won by Chuck Schutz and Mike Kellner. Sportsman heats, each eight laps, were won by Tom Miller, Ryan Beltz and Dean Bachman while Brett Kressley took top honors in the eight lap consolation. In the 358 Modified qualifiers, each 12 laps, were won by Tim Buckwalter, Todd Smith and Andy Ressler. Frank Cozze, the feature winner the previous week, won the 10 lap consolation race to make the feature starting lineup.

The Hard Charger award for the Modifieds sponsored by Bobby Gunther Walsh and sponsors went to Kyle Weiss gaining 18 spots. The Searock Lawn Care Hard Charger award for Sportsman was earned by Brad Brightbill who moved from 21st to 7th and Jeff Teetsí Salvage Transport Hard Charger award for Late Models went to Steve Todorow who moved eight positions in the rained out feature from the previous week while Steve Nederostek gained nine spots in the regular feature.